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Fifteen days into self quartine and social distancing has a way of providing perspective. While I don’t claim to know everything, I do know what is happening all over the world at this moment in time, is causing everyone to take a look at life as they know it and make some decisions. Some of those decisions will be very personal while other decisions have become mandates such as working from home and in some cases temporary job loss.

Luckily I am a half glass full person, so I definitely wanted to put some positive vibes out especially after being surrounded by so many doomsday theories and just plain confusion about the state of our affairs not only in this country but all over the world. So in that vein, I’ll share some things that I am happy to see and proud to be a part of.

1 – Although I live hundreds of miles away from my parents and siblings, with all this free time we’ve been checking in on each other more frequently. Some of the conversations are utterly ridiculous like the one I had with my father a week ago about this “worldwide academic’ (he means pandemic) and him arguing with me about the number of people in my area that are infected with the virus (70% of the city according to him). I’m like dad, I check the news at least once a day and that’s just not the case because there aren’t enough test available to for that many people yet. According to the 2017 census, there are over six million people in the metro DC area so his theory is just not possible. Or even the conversation with my brother whose every other word was obviously fear-based and also laced with rumors and misinformation.

The other extreme of conversations with my mother and sister are more lighthearted, lined with humor and memes about the times we are living in. My mother frequently reminding me of our need to keep the faith and watch the words we speak. I see now I get a lot of my perspective from both parents. For years my mother has reminded us about not speaking things into existence long before it became a thing for me. Although the language she used was different, the message has always been the same. My sister and I exchange daily memes and funny video clips that we find throughout the day, not once have I heard a negative word come out of her mouth since this whole thing began. So I’m grateful and feel more connected to the four of them than I have felt in a while.

I am also thankful for the reminder that I come from a family, a race and a culture where we have learned to laugh through the pain and confusion even when we have no idea of what is to come. I don’t know what happens next but I have an overwhelming feeling that all is well and things will fix themselves. I also have a feeling that this situation is opening the heart of the human spirit something we all so desperately need at this time.

2 – I’ve also gotten reacclimated to the power of sleep. The type of sleep that really allows the body to rest without the guilt often associated with inactivity. I personally don’t feel guilty about getting adequate sleep but I know there are a lot of people who do. In the last six months, I’ve been working on a project that I’ve enjoyed overall but the last thirty days the hours increased drastically and I was working 10-12 hour days more than I care to admit. Not to mention other work-related obligations I had outside of that project that would consume my Saturday mornings. So I spent the last two weeks getting the best sleep of my life, mainly because I’ve exhausted tv, eating, reading, and chatting with family and friends. I am now feeling inspired to get back to writing, blogging, and podcasting. All activities that make me happy and keep me feeling aligned with my inner being.

3 – I have this saying that “if you don’t slow down, then the universe will slow you down.” Well, this time is proof that humanity needed to slow down and recalibrate so that we are positioned to operate in more aligned ways going forward. I’m not a big news person but for years there has been talk of the damage human behavior has had on the planet, maybe this is a universe’s way of slowing if not stopping a lot of those behaviors so that the planet can heal itself. The few times I’ve been outside, there are very few vehicles on the road so I know our carbon imprint has shifted. I’m sure companies that pollute have had to slow down operations as well. With most people indoors, the physical earth is definitely getting the rest it needs as well. Maybe when we emerge from this time, it will be with more kindness and empathy not only towards each other but toward the planet we all reside on.

4 – People are exploring new ways to live in isolation. I’ve never seen so many virtual parties, open mics, and concerts than I am seeing right now. Last night I played tv show trivia on Instagram live followed by watching a mini-concert series, both of which I enjoyed. It gave me a much needed Netflix break. People are become creative and expanding the reality of what is possible. It shows the depth of human connection and taps into the spirit of our ability to adjust accordingly.

The first fifteen days I had mixed feelings, but going into the third week of quarantine I feel more at peace and much more emotionally stabilized about the current situation. I’ve stopped running to the grocery store every day. I was only going to refill on snacks anyway. I’ve started to fall into a routine. I am staying very connected with my family and friends. I go out for a nice walk as often as the weather will permit. I am also enjoying the creativity being displayed by others as well as the awakening of our heart center. Stay safe and stay blessed!